Device for cleaning golf balls



, Oct. 5 1926.

J. E. HAMILTON DEVICE FOR CLEANING GOLF BALLS Filed Nov. .'11, 1925 O'llIlIIllllt/A'lill/1111111@ l" '.1 1 l Patented Qct. 5, 1926,

UNITED As'rnria-s JAMES E. HAMILTON, OF TWO RIVERS, VISCONSIN.

DEVICE FOR CLENNG GOLF BALLS.

Application filed November 11, 1925. .Serial No. 68,394,

My invention relates to devices for cleaning golf balls and is inclusive of a brush and a ball carrier having at least one and preferably a numb'er of ball holdingvportions in which the balls may turn and which cooperate with the brush to cause each ball being cleaned to turn in a multiplicity of planes of rotation to ensure contact of the brush with all portions -of the balls, the holders for the balls sufficiently retarding their rotation to ensure rubbing action of the brush thereon.v The carriers for the balls and brush are relatively rotatable and are mounted side by side or abreast with the brush carrier alongside of the Zone occupied by the balls. The brush upon the brush carrier projects a limited distance into the ball Zone to secure the desired rubbing Contact of the brush with the balls. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the ball holding'portions are in the form of elongated trays at least as deep as the radius of the balls, slightly wider than the dia-meters of the balls and about twice as long as wide, whereby with the trays properly placed, the centers of the balls will travel in an orbit consequentupon rotation of the brush alternately in opposite directions, thereby ensuring1V the rotation of the balls in a multiplicity of planes, for the purpose stated. f

The invention will be morefully explained in connection with theaccompanying `draw` ing in which Fig. 1 is a. sectional elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectionalfelevation of a portion of the structure on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 3--3 of Fig. 1, looking downwardly; and Fig. i is a horizontal sectional view on a smaller scale, looking upwardly.l

The cylindrical container 1 is preferably upright and has a bottom end wall 2 and a circular lid or closure 3 having splined connection with the container as indicated at 3 whereby the lid may be moved up and do-wn but is prevented from turning. A n upwardly Ytapering cone step bearing 4 is carried by said bottom end wall at its center, this bearing being removable so as to be replaceable when worn out. An uprightl operating shaft 5 is bent to form an operating crank` 5. rlhe shaft is coaxial with the container` and is supported upon' said step bearing b f means of an upwardly ta pering socket 6 upon the lower end of the shaft and which socket receives the-step Sand will not tend to enter between i a disc 8 clamped against the top rim of the socket 6 by a nut 9 threaded upon the shaft. The holding portions of the ball carrier are desirably in the form of oblong rect-angular or elongated trays 10 having rims 11 to guard the balls from injury as they are inserted. Each tray is slightly deeper than the radius of the golf balls 12, slightly wider than the diameters of the balls and about twice as long as wide. These trays are suitably disposed lengthwise uponv cords of the circle of the container, oneV outer upright corner of each tray closely approaching the container, the other upright outer corner ofthe tray being a considerable distance from the container to permit of the location of the trays similarly in succession.

The brush 13 is desirably made of bristles but the invention is not to be thus limited. It is desirably'formed in four spaced apart arcuate sections arranged in a circle, the brush back 14 which carries the bristles beingpassemb'led with the closure lid 3 by means of bolts 15,V thisclosure thus also constituting a brush carrier. The extent to which the lid 3 and the brush carried on the bottom thereof may be lowered within the container is limitedrby a washer 16 resting upon a nut 17 screwed on the shaft 5 and held in place by a lock nut 18 also c screwed on the shaft.y The lid 3 is preferab'ly in snug sliding fitwith and within the container, the lid being movable along the container but being prevented from turnL ico ing with respect thereto by the aforesaid spline 3, as stated.

Soapy water and sand are desirably used to clean the balls. In the cleaning operation, the shaft 5 is alternately rotated in opposite directions, while the lid 3 is depressed by hand to bring the bottomr side of the brush into the ball holding Zone to an extent suflicient to secure the desired cleansing action, it being understood that the trays sufliciently retard the rotation of the balls to enable the brash to rub the balls. As the brush is ol a radial Width and of such character as to overlie the tops of the balls in all positions ot the balls7 the balls are caused to travel from end to end of the trays, first in one direction and then in the reverse direction. The trays being slightly Wider than the diameters of the balls and being disposed upon cords of the circle of the container or, in other Words, parallel to and abreast of. cords of a circle of the brush, the balls are caused to move from side to side of the trays as they move roinend to end the trays with the result that the centers ot the balls follow a horizontal closed orbit1 indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig. 3. The balls consequently rotate in a great multiplicity of planes so as to have all of their surfacesv presented to the brush 'for cleaning. The user presses upon the brush carrier more or less according to the degree of rubbing action desired. The brush stop 16 may be downwardly adjusted to compensate for Wear upon the brush.

Changes may readily be made Without departing troni the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim t l. A ballcleaner including a ball carrier; a brush carrier'abreast of the ball carrier and defining therewith a ball zone; a brush upon the brush carrier projecting into the ball'zene; a container enclosing one of said carriers and the brush, the other carrier constituting a lid for the container; a rotatable shaft supporting ysaid enclosed carrier; and a sleeve bearing for this shaft and supported by the carrier that constitutes a lid.

2. A ball cleaner including a ball carrier ;l a brush abreast of the ball carrier and detining therewith a ball zone into Which said brush projects; and a bearing structure upon Which one of said members is mounted to turn With relation to the other7 saidbrush and carrier being relatively movable along the axis of .rotation to vary the extent to Which the brush projects into the ball zone.

3. A ball cleaner including a ball carrier; a brush carrier abreast of the ball carrier and dening therewith a ball Zone; abrush upon the brush carrier projecting into the ball zone; a container' enclosing one or' said carriers and brush, the other carrier constituting a lid for. the container; anda bearing structure upon which one of said members is mounted to turn With relation to the other. ,l

4. A ball cleaner including a ball carrier; a brush carrier abreast of the ball carrier. and defining therewith a ball Zone; a brush upon the brush carrier projecting into the ball zone; a container enclosing one of said carriers and the brush, the other carrier constituting a lid for the container, this other carrier and container having engaging formations to prevent this other1 carrier -from turning, and to permit of its movenent toward and 'from the tirst carrier; a mounting upon which the enclosed carrier may be turnedf; and means for turning the enclosed carrier. y

5. A ball cleaner including a ball carrier; a brush carrier abreast of the ball carrier and deiining therewith a ball Zone; af brush upon the brush carrier projecting into the ball Zone; a container. enclosing one of said carriers and the brush, the other carrier constituting a lid for the container;y this other carrier and container having engaging formations to` prevent this other. carrier from turning and to permit of its movement toward and from the first carrier; a rotatable sha'ft supporting the enclosed carrier ;v anda sleeve bearing for this shaftjand supported bythe carrier that constitutes a lid.I

ln Witness whereof, I' hereunto subscribe my name. Y

JAMES" n. nAMrLTon LTI 

